"When you grow up wanting to beat McAuley--as all of these players have--you have to have that competitive spirit. But you also have to have some skill and you also have to have coaching and the ability to make that happen."

Playing before the home crowd, the Pride had all that and more as senior Kristen Daly led the way with a match-high 14 kills.

For Daly, the turning point came several weeks ago when her team took the Mighty Macs to three games before falling 11-15, 15-13, 9-15.

"That proved to everyone on the team that we can accomplish anything if we push and try our hardest," she said. "Our team was determined. We were readier for this game than any other."

Queen of Peace stunned McAuley with a 10-1 run to open Game 1, sparked by three quick kills by Daly and two apiece from junior outside hitter Melissa Vandrey and setter Jacqueline Sokolowski.

Even with a Game 1 win, Meyer knew her team couldn't let up.

"They (the Mighty Macs) can always come back from zero to win," she said. "And in the second game, I was quite nervous."

The game was tied several times down the stretch. Daly ultimately helped settle matters when the Pride regained the serve with a kill, then picked up her team's 15th point when her serve deflected off a McAuley player. The final point came on a Mighty Mac deflection.

"They had the motivation of never having won the GCAC and the home court," said Mighty Macs coach Nancy Pederson, whose team is 30-5 overall. "And that's going to help you get a couple of points."